Gardening with Clematis: Design and Cultivation

By Linda Beutler

I grew clematis for years without much success ... then Linda Beutler wrote Gardening With Clematis, and my life with clematis changed forever.

Oregonian

Clematis are among the more versatile and diverse plants for any garden; few flowers can fill so many garden niches, from specimen plants to dwarf perennials, or container selections to multistory vines. Wherever they are found, their blooms never fail to induce rapture and awe. The carefully chosen clematis can't be equaled when planted in the right situation and pruned in the right way, but horticultural horrors can ensue when beginners (or experts) overreach and force plants where they do not belong. Linda Beutler provides instructions for newcomers and master gardeners alike on plant selection, cultivation, and design, and debunks a few myths along the way. With a distinct nod to the wonderful traditions for growing clematis in the British Isles and Europe, she may be the first author to provide a distinctly American perspective on the subject. Filled with 115 beautiful photographs and the incalculable wisdom of hard-won experience, Gardening with Clematis will be required reading for all adventurous gardeners.

Book preview

Media reviews

"I grew clematis for years without much success ... then Linda Beutler wrote Gardening With Clematis: Design & Cultivation, and my life with clematis changed forever. She demystifies these gorgeous and varied plants in a very accessible — and fun — way."

—Kym Pokorny, Oregonian

"She writes with wit and zeal."

—Dulcy Mahar, Oregonian

"I love this book because it's written as if you're having a conversation with your best friend, who just happens to know everything there is to know about clematis."

—Valerie Easton, Seattle Times

"Full of information so you'll understand [clematis]. [Beutler] covers types, cultivation, designing with clematis, and answers the always tough question of when to prune."

—Denver Post

"If I were to write a book about clematis, this would be the book."

—Lyndy Broder, Perennial Notes

"This book is overflowing with stunning examples of clematis growing in a variety of settings in the garden."

—Debra Teachout-Teashon, Rainy Side Gardeners

"Love is blind, but Beutler doesn’t let readers fall in love indiscriminately. Instead, she provides valuable information about how to choose the clematis for your garden."

—Marty Wingate, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"If you like clematis (and who doesn’t?), this is the kind of book that you will refer to often, take with you to the nursery and dog-ear left and right to keep her words and wisdom close at hand."

—Dig: The Magazine for Northwest Gardeners

"Finally we have a garden writer from Portland who is passionate about clematis and happy to infuse any reader with her enthusiasm."

—Marianne Binetti, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"An excellent and lucid guide to choosing and using clematis to beautify the garden."

—Ann Lovejoy, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"If you already love clematis, you need this book. If you love gardening, but don't know what a clematis is, you need this book. Probably you need this book,no matter what!"

—Dorothy Rodal, Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Newsletter

"I highly recommend [this book] ... which is a thorough guide to all things clematis."

—Valerie Easton, Seattle Times

"Beutler's ability to conjure word images of clematis colors and forms growing with all sorts of other plants is impressive ... There are abundant ideas for ways to use clematis throughout the garden."

—Ethne Clarke, American Gardener

"With seductive photos to illustrate her prose, Beutler takes the guesswork and uncertainty out of the planting process. Indulging in Beutler's book is like reading a letter from a venerable garden buddy. Her love of the genus Clematis is indeed infectious."

—Grace Peterson, Northwest Senior News

"[This book] is meant for gardeners at various skill levels,from beginning gardeners to master gardeners."

—Sarah Williams, E-Streams

"It's easy to read, very informative and the photographs are stunning."

—Garden Answers

"This is an excellent book for both the beginner and the experienced gardener."

—Lyndy Broder, Perennial Notes

"Linda Beutler's conversational writing style brings clematis up close and personal ... This is an excellent book for both the beginner and the experienced gardener."

—Lyndy Broder, Perennial Notes

"An informative and enjoyable read."

—LandscapeProjects.com

"Gardening with Clematis is the kind of book that opens up the garden to experimentation. Like a nod to toss aside the rules, the book recommends letting the plant be your guide to its perfect partner. It will leave you even more anxious to start the season again with at least one new clematis."

—Jean Starr, Northwest Indiana Times

"This is a well-illustrated very pleasant book at a fair price and presented in a handy size. It should be read by all garden designers, both amateur and professional."

—David Papayanopulos, Gardener's Gazette

About the author

Linda Beutler

Linda Beutler has worked with flowers all her professional life. The president of the Pacific Northwest Clematis Society, and the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection's first curator, she lectures throughout the country and instructs students in horticulture at Clackamas Community College.